A Guiding Light
by Libby24
Summary: Short oneshot ficlet about a one night stand between SS and HG after the war. Not DH compliant


A Guiding Light

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters there-in, (J.K. Rowling owns them obviously!) the plot is all mine. It's just a short one-shot ficlet which I seem to be writing a lot of lately hmm…anyway let me know what you think good or bad. Enjoy!

-Libby :)

PS Not DH relevant and I think I wrote Severus a little OOC but oh well.

A Guiding Light

He never would have been there if he hadn't been threatened with a proper hexing as well as a hefty deduction from the potions fund. And so here he was, watching Dumbledore's "prize students" dancing the night away. His glare left the Headmaster and settled on Neville Longbottom who quickly scurried away from the dark gaze of the potions master.

"Don't they look so lovely?" Professor Minerva McGonagall asked Severus as she joined his side. He pursed his lips into a thin line as she spoke.

"No, I don't believe they do; sniveling dunderheads all of them. The only one possibly worth their weight is Granger." Minerva's eyes cast to her favorite pupil. Hermione Granger former Gryffindor "Know-It-All" and "Golden Girl," was dancing with her best friend Harry Potter.

"Give them a break Severus. The war is over and they made it out alive, unlike many of their peers. They deserve this night at least to be happy and pretend they're not as mature as they are." Severus' scowl deepened.

"We've all been to Hell Minerva, why should they deserve to be treated any differently than the rest of us?" McGonagall sighed as she turned to face her contemporary.

"They're only children Severus. They shouldn't have been forced to grow up so soon. We're all dealing as best we can. This is the first night in weeks Hermione hasn't cried herself to sleep thinking about those lost to the cause. She and Mr. Zabini were conducting and illicit affair before the war. She had to face him in the final battle; can you imagine the pain she's going through?" Both teachers were silent as they eyed the student in question. A soft smile graced her lips as she danced with Harry, but the smile never reached her eyes.

Everyone is in pain. Severus thought, why should I feel sorry for her? Try as he might he couldn't shake off a feeling of sympathy for the girl, no young woman. She had truly grown up since her first year at Hogwarts all those years ago.

It took all her strength and will power not to cry tonight, but she promised herself for Ginny and Harry she wouldn't cry. Every night since _that_ night had been a struggle. Ron was dead as was his brother George, Hannah Abbott, Parvati Patil, Pansy Parkinson, and Blaise among countless others. It was a battle not to lose it all at the thought of her fiancé. She went through the motions of having a good time as she danced gracefully with Harry, internally begging for the night to end. It had been a welcome relief when Ginny cut in and Hermione could go rest at the refreshments table.

Hermione was so involved with her thoughts she didn't even notice when Professor Snape sat down across from her.

She looked stunning in her sapphire blue dress; classic and sophisticated. Severus had always admired that about her, she never felt the need to be flashy or show off and her natural beauty always shined through. Over the years her bushy brown hair had defined itself into loose ringlets that flowed evenly down her back. She always looked fresh and didn't need makeup although she occasionally experimented with mascara and lip-gloss. She looked understated and stood out against her gaudy classmates such as Lavender Brown.

Hermione's eyes softened as she looked at the professor she (secretly) admired most. A lifetime of pain and betrayal had made him angry and bitter and at that moment Hermione felt as if they were soul mates.

It only took a few well placed innuendos and meaningful looks before she was walking with him back to his private rooms. It was interesting up until that moment she had never felt equal to him and yet they walked side by side in the barely lit dungeons.

Neither spoke a word as Severus poured both of them a hefty shot of firewhisky until Severus raised his glass to toast,

"To remembering the past and dulling the pain," It was a simple toast and Hermione only slightly shuddered as she downed the libation in one gulp.

It was only a few moments before she was straddling his lap; unbuttoning his elegant black robes. Her gaze was focused on the task at hand and he felt a stirring in his body as he watched her nimble fingers undress him. He reached behind her to unzip her gown and sighed inwardly as it slipped off her shoulders and pooled gently at her waist.

She was glad she had forgone a bra tonight when his delicate fingers lightly skimmed her soft skin. A moan escaped her lips before she could stop it and Severus eagerly put his mouth on hers. They fought for dominance in the kiss before Hermione gave up her battle and fell limp into his grasp.

A few months ago Severus never would have believed he would be kissing a half-naked "Know-It-All" Granger in his chambers, and yet in the past few hours he had seen her pain and offered to be her escape, just for one night. He knew better than most how lonely the nights could be and how the mind wouldn't rest. Hermione squirmed against him and Severus stopped thinking rationally and let himself experience the pleasure of a woman for the first time in several years.

No one moaned out a name in the heat of passion during their tryst but Severus knew she pined for Blaise, just as Hermione knew of his unrequited feelings for the late Lily Potter. After their union they fell asleep; fingers and bodies intertwined. Each slept soundlessly, dreamlessly and when Severus awoke in the morning he was alone once more. On the pillow next to his, still encased in her unique scent was a piece of parchment. Only two words were written in black ink on the cream page, "Thank you." He rose and put the note away in one of the many drawers of his desk and went to shower.

The mutual love felt (secretly) by both of them would be extinguished overtime as the realities of life set in. The incident would never be spoken of again but each would remember it as a night of guiding light in a time of seemingly perpetual darkness.

Fini

Eh I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. I think I need to stop being so melodramatic/emo. Any thoughts?? Thanks for reading.


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